I assume all readers are already aware that poor Malaysian Airlines, already afflicted with losing a 777 in some of the most mysterious circumstances ever, lost another $300 million dollar aircraft and, much more importantly, hundreds of lives when their 777-200ER was apparently shot down over eastern Ukraine by Russia or Russian-armed separatists. The missile system used was likely a 9K37 (SA-11/SA-17) Buk radar guided mobile battlefield SAM system. This is an upgraded version of the SA-6 Gainful missile system that has been used around the world in numerous conflicts, especially earning a nasty reputation as a very capable system in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The SA-11 is eminently capable of engaging aircraft at medium altitudes (10-40k ft) and carries a 150 lb fragmentation warhead – more than enough to bring down a large airliner.

It appears to have been a monumental tragedy, the Russian-armed and Russian-speaking separatists of eastern Ukraine – or Russian forces themselves operating in support of those separatists – likely mistakenly targeted the 777, thinking it was an An-26 Curl cargo aircraft. Whoever fired the shot, they were horribly trained, SAM systems with decently trained crews are almost always capable of distinguishing civilian airliners from military aircraft, especially in established airways. It is interesting to note, however, that many airlines had already made the decision to abandon the air route over eastern Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict, and all airspace in eastern Ukraine is now closed, at all altitudes, to civilian traffic. Malaysian Airlines was taking one heck of a risk flying only 1,00o feet above an airspace zone restricted for military operations.

Evidence of Russian involvement is mounting. It is not unequivocal at this point, but it seems likely. Separatist forces already obtained the black box and spirited it away to Moscow for “investigation.” Separatists were quoted early on as claiming proudly on the internet that they had shot down another Ukrainian transport, but when it came out that it was actually a civilian airliner those tweets and other communiques were quickly pulled. The State Security Service of the Ukraine is claiming they have intercepted communiques from separatist forces to Russian authorities and their own higher ups claiming responsibility for the attack. But there is some question on this, as apparently that Ukrainian Security apparatus has already tried to use doctored evidence to paint the separatists in a bad light. Nevertheless, here it is:

The report below gives some general info. The fact that the debris was spread over a large area (10 or more miles) indicates the aircraft broke up at altitude. There were some pretty good sized chunks left, which tends to happen when an aircraft breaks apart – those chunks that survive the breakup, which can be pretty large, tend to stay intact until the hit the ground, and if they don’t contain any fuel there won’t be any fire. This is not at all unusual. I already saw one person trying to say that if Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, PA on 09/11/01 left almost no debris, how could this crash have such large debris (in places – the main part of the crash, including the central fuselage, wing stubs, etc, everything was obliteratged)? Well, that’s why, it broke apart at high altitude after suffering devastating structural damage from the missile warhead, but then continued more or less intact, at much reduced speed (less than 300 mph, certainly) until impact.

There was apparently 1 American on board. Prayers for all those who died, and for their families.

No one is going to spin this up into a broader war, but it does make Russia look terrible.

The “bishops” of the Church of England demurred, for now, from endorsing fake same-sex “marriage,” but they did satisfy their dominant leftist wing by approving women bishops. This is sure to send the relatively orthodox African and Asian portions of the Church into a tizzy, and rightly so. I predict they will approve some kind of recognition of sodomite marriage by 2016. I also predict at least half of the present Anglican Church in Africa will enter the Ordinariate or otherwise reconcile with Rome by 2025.

You should know the vote wasn’t even close. Over 90% of “bishops” voted in favor of this utter and unbiblical novelty.

And the death throes of the Church of England, founded in lust and greed, continue:

Women may become bishops in the Church of England because of an historic vote by General Synod July 14……..

The first woman bishop could be appointed by the end of the year. The Church of England now joins 20 other provinces or extra-provincial dioceses that allow for women bishops.

Before the vote, the Most. Rev. John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, asked synod members to greet the result “with restraint and sensitivity,” but a flurry of cheers arose nonetheless. [God or Mammon……they made their choice]

The Most Rev.Justin Welby, “Archbishop of Canterbury,” commented, “Today is the completion of what was begun over 20 years with the ordination of women as priests. I am delighted with today’s result. Today marks the start of a great adventure of seeking mutual flourishing while still, in some cases, disagreeing. [Oh what tripe. The conservativish opposition gets absolutely flattened, their objections ignored]

“The challenge for us will be for the church to model good disagreement and to continue to demonstrate love for those who disagree on theological grounds. Very few institutions achieve this, but if we manage this we will be living our more fully the call of Jesus Christ to love one another. As delighted as I am for the outcome of this vote, I am also mindful of those within the Church for whom the result will be difficult and a cause of sorrow.” [I added emphasis here. Read that again. He is basically saying he knows this will be a bridge many conservative Anglicans simply will not be able to cross, and he is predicting that it is most unlikely they won’t manage to placate those conservatives. Which is why I was gratified to read the next part…….]

……...Following the Church of England’s decision to allow women bishops, the head of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham invited those who are “considering their future” to learn more about the Ordinariate……[Dang right. We have our own grave problems but just click your heels together three times saying “There is no place like Rome,” and you’ll feel much better]

The Church of England has agreed that women can become bishops for the first time in its 1,500-year history. [HAH! Wrong, less than 500 year history!]

[Now check out this blatant propagandizing in a supposed “news” piece….]Not everyone was celebrating, however. The conservative and evangelical wings of the church had succeeded in stymieing a 2012 attempt to open the most senior church posts to women. That unexpected rejection of gender equality within the church won negative headlines and widespread disapproval in Britain. [Yes, women can go to hell just as easily as men, especially when they demand roles for which God never intended them]

The idiot “compromise” approved by Welby to get this further travesty approved was that those with objections to having women bishops wound’ t have to have them. So you’ll have part of the CofE with its women bishops, and part without. And all the sexularists clucked their tongues in approval.

The Catholic Church remains fully committed to its dialogue with the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. For the Catholic Church, the goal of ecumenical dialogue continues to be full visible ecclesial communion.

Such full ecclesial communion embraces full communion in the episcopal office. The decision of the Church of England to admit women to the episcopate therefore sadly places a further obstacle on the path to this unity between us. Nevertheless we are committed to continuing our ecumenical dialogue, seeking deeper mutual understanding and practical cooperation wherever possible……

…..At this difficult moment we affirm again the significant ecumenical progress which has been made in the decades since the Second Vatican Council and the development of firm and lasting friendships between our communities. We rejoice in these bonds of affection and will do all we can to strengthen them and seek together to witness to the Gospel in our society.

What?!? WHAT PROGRESS! Aside from lovely 3 week meetings in posh Swiss mountain resorts, or high tone London clubs, what have you ever accomplished?!? Anglicanism has increased in distance from Catholicism 100 fold in the past 40 years, at least as far as official belief and practice (and not pervasive modernism) is concerned. The modern ecumenical movement is founded upon lies, lies that have the stench of indifferentism and death about them.

So when the CoE commits yet another sacrilege by ordaining women bishops, all the episcopal conference of England and Wales (one of the most liberal in the world) can think about is their precious but pointless ecumenical confabs?!? No wonder they loathe and undermine the Ordinariate so much, anything that might forestall the non-stop gravy train of liberal privilege is to be strangled in the crib.

I guess the final travesty is the degree to which the progressives in the Church, including at the highest levels, seem determined to follow the Anglican model into irrelevance and destruction.